At the workplace. All of them come to the place. Many talk. More send emails. Very few work. Really amazing. The rule of thumb in large offices is this: 20% of the folks at work always do 80% of the work. More intuitive way of putting it is: 20% work hard. And the remaining 80% hardly work. And it is this 80% which is more often than not star-struck. The question is why? And the answer is pretty simple. In today's world, visibility at workplace is more important than your work. Like it or not. This is a bitter truth. A person who contributes little but which gets noticed is more likely to make headway up the organization than one who contributes more but with little visibility. And yes, just to make it clear. Visibility does not mean contribution footprint in today's rat race. It plainly means staying in the radar of the management. Now, the question as to who gets elevated to stardom at a workplace?? More often than not, the lady or gentleman who contributes 80% to a job which in reality is 20% the complexity and priority of a core but less "visible" job. Stars at workplace. Their influence. Their importance. Their worth. And their very existence. All debatable. And yet a reality that is inescapable. Here is something more curious. When it comes to work distribution, you would naturally expect the so-called star to receive a larger share of the burden. But, real life situations hardly agree. In fact, a star will only do 20% of the overall task. And the philosophy usually at play is this: These folks by their very presence uplift the others to complete the remaining 80%. All this might seem laughable right away. But think about it. You will be surprised how much you can relate these numbers to your work environment....
At the workplace. Is it crucial to have stars? I dont know. May be. May be not. The answer lies in the definition of a star. I am not going to romanticize the notion of a star as one who works really hard and never gets his due. I visualize a star as one who inspires 80% of the workforce by doing 80% of the work. And the remaining 20% of the work is a learning curve for the rest so that they too can establish their mettle and become stars. Personally, I never did have any liking for stars. Nor do I have time and fascination for stardom. I would rather have 20% of the workforce as stars, real stars. Rather than 80% of the workforce as no good false stars. About my own workplace. I am yet to form a complete opinion. But the experience so far indicates that 80% of what I wrote today is accurate with regards to my own work environment. Ending with something to think about. How does a star feel when the stardom is gone???
Friday, September 25, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Relationships and expiry dates...
Do relationships have expiry dates? All or some? Hmmm...Dont really know. The relationship might be categorized as love, family and extended family, friendship and workplace. There might be more. But right now, I can think of these obvious ones. Do they come in different flavors? Expiry dates? Do they have them? If so, then do they come stamped with them? Or is it that as time passes by, expiry dates start to appear on them? Take a moment. I ask this question. Not because I am cynical of "forever relationships". They may exist for real. But I ask this question to just look back at some of mine. And may be analyze a few of them. And look forward to future ones. Let me look at each of the four mentioned earlier. And I go in reverse order to make things easy ofcourse...
So, the easiest one to discuss I suppose... Most relationships at workplace are professional by nature. I leave out the ones which are not for now..Ok, so we make acquaintances at work. Team mates and colleagues are courteous. And polite. Some may be nasty. Ofcourse the job and the job role dictates the tone of the relationship at workplace. A peer or a boss or a junior. There might be competition or there might be cooperation. The relationship may or may not fluctuate everyday. Some day you get flowers. Some day brickbats. And ultimately each on his own. Perhaps, these relationships do come with a expiry date. But we simply carry on because its a must dear. And when you quit, these relationships fall apart very easily. The expiry date becomes obvious. Ofcourse exceptions are to be found. There might be that one odd gal or guy in that cube on the 21st floor who would continue to remain in touch....
Next is friends and friendship. Some will question the very basis for this discussion. How can a friendship have an expiry date? Well, some of you or may be most of you would have at some point of time by now realized that "friends forever" is something that we wish forever but we seldom get. And those who get are the really lucky ones. The folks with friends a million might one day realize that this question is reasonable enough. Spend some time looking through your facebook or myspace or orkut friends and see how many really are "friends". Ofcourse, instant would be the reply that friendship comes in layers. Shrek might want to add friendship to his "ogres and onions have layers" theory. I though can consider myself to be a little fortunate on this account. I do not have a gazillion friends. The number of people I consider friend I can count on my fingertips. I once complained about this. But my mom put it succinctly to me. Better to have less than ten real friends rather than a million wannabes for whom you mean nothing. Why do people make friends? Some because they like these folks. Some because these folks help them get something in career or society. Some because it makes them "cool" to be associated with these folks. So, the answer to my question. Do they have expiry dates? Yes, the ones which do not allow an individual to breathe freely. Yes, the ones which enforce the mob mentality. And yes, the ones where there are false expectations. But, the friendship whose sole foundation is real warmth and concern does not have any expiry date. A friend and you do not have to agree upon everything. The best of friendships exist because there is a genuine liking as well as the scope to disagree on issues. The most remarkable aspect of such friendships which do not have expiry dates is that being in such a relationship itself is the best thing about them...
Family. And extended family. What?? The trickiest one to think about. Your parents are the greatest thing to happen to you. And no bond between mother and father and their children has any sort of expiry date by rule. And this I think is a sacred one. However. And a sad one at that, this bond in many cases around this world has not been able to escape the vagaries of this era's commercialism and "all about the self" attitude. Truly sad to even think any further on this. Yes. For ages there have been arguments and fights within families. Wealth. Fame. Better opportunities. Difference of opinion. Jealousy. You name it. Scores of families have been wasted for the worst of reasons. However, as some would put it. Its all in the family. Well, that family whose basis is love does not have any expiry date whatsoever. But all those families where deceit rules and material gains are the primary focus have the earliest possible expiry dates....
Atlast the one. The most confusing one. The relationship. The one where you are in love with that one person. If you are in a relationship with someone. And suddenly things are not working out. Then is it time to move on??? Is this person "the one"? The Chosen One?? This question pops up to almost every other soul at some point in their lives. For some its early. For some its a bit late. What if I am wrong? What if she is not the one? What if she is the one? Is she the one for keepers?? If we break up, then will we ever get back together? Or is this the end? Should I tell her that I love her? Is it love? Or is it some infatuation that will pass away? May be some relationship that has an expiry date that is today itself? Or is it destiny that we met? And that this is the match made in heaven. Cant help laughing here. Well. Falling in love is easy. Staying is difficult. So, does love have an expiry date??? And the answer is no. The mere fact that you call it "love" and not infatuation and fixation means that it does not have any expiry date. Had it been infatuation or fixation or crush, then the answer is yes. If this relationship is based on lust, then it has an expiry date for sure. If you ever fell in love with someone, she remains etched in your heart. You may break up with her. Never see her again. Try to forget her. But, sometime when you will sit idle looking at the sunset, you will think about her. Those days. Those moments. That spark. That magic. That conversation. How can it be not love? And how can such a feeling have an expiry date??
Alright. Isnt it about this always?? Finally moving on. There is always some work to do. There is always some friend to talk to. There is always your family to go to. And then there is always that one you love. And when you are with them at that moment, you dont really care about expiry dates. All you do is live in the moment. And thats all that counts anyway...
So, the easiest one to discuss I suppose... Most relationships at workplace are professional by nature. I leave out the ones which are not for now..Ok, so we make acquaintances at work. Team mates and colleagues are courteous. And polite. Some may be nasty. Ofcourse the job and the job role dictates the tone of the relationship at workplace. A peer or a boss or a junior. There might be competition or there might be cooperation. The relationship may or may not fluctuate everyday. Some day you get flowers. Some day brickbats. And ultimately each on his own. Perhaps, these relationships do come with a expiry date. But we simply carry on because its a must dear. And when you quit, these relationships fall apart very easily. The expiry date becomes obvious. Ofcourse exceptions are to be found. There might be that one odd gal or guy in that cube on the 21st floor who would continue to remain in touch....
Next is friends and friendship. Some will question the very basis for this discussion. How can a friendship have an expiry date? Well, some of you or may be most of you would have at some point of time by now realized that "friends forever" is something that we wish forever but we seldom get. And those who get are the really lucky ones. The folks with friends a million might one day realize that this question is reasonable enough. Spend some time looking through your facebook or myspace or orkut friends and see how many really are "friends". Ofcourse, instant would be the reply that friendship comes in layers. Shrek might want to add friendship to his "ogres and onions have layers" theory. I though can consider myself to be a little fortunate on this account. I do not have a gazillion friends. The number of people I consider friend I can count on my fingertips. I once complained about this. But my mom put it succinctly to me. Better to have less than ten real friends rather than a million wannabes for whom you mean nothing. Why do people make friends? Some because they like these folks. Some because these folks help them get something in career or society. Some because it makes them "cool" to be associated with these folks. So, the answer to my question. Do they have expiry dates? Yes, the ones which do not allow an individual to breathe freely. Yes, the ones which enforce the mob mentality. And yes, the ones where there are false expectations. But, the friendship whose sole foundation is real warmth and concern does not have any expiry date. A friend and you do not have to agree upon everything. The best of friendships exist because there is a genuine liking as well as the scope to disagree on issues. The most remarkable aspect of such friendships which do not have expiry dates is that being in such a relationship itself is the best thing about them...
Family. And extended family. What?? The trickiest one to think about. Your parents are the greatest thing to happen to you. And no bond between mother and father and their children has any sort of expiry date by rule. And this I think is a sacred one. However. And a sad one at that, this bond in many cases around this world has not been able to escape the vagaries of this era's commercialism and "all about the self" attitude. Truly sad to even think any further on this. Yes. For ages there have been arguments and fights within families. Wealth. Fame. Better opportunities. Difference of opinion. Jealousy. You name it. Scores of families have been wasted for the worst of reasons. However, as some would put it. Its all in the family. Well, that family whose basis is love does not have any expiry date whatsoever. But all those families where deceit rules and material gains are the primary focus have the earliest possible expiry dates....
Atlast the one. The most confusing one. The relationship. The one where you are in love with that one person. If you are in a relationship with someone. And suddenly things are not working out. Then is it time to move on??? Is this person "the one"? The Chosen One?? This question pops up to almost every other soul at some point in their lives. For some its early. For some its a bit late. What if I am wrong? What if she is not the one? What if she is the one? Is she the one for keepers?? If we break up, then will we ever get back together? Or is this the end? Should I tell her that I love her? Is it love? Or is it some infatuation that will pass away? May be some relationship that has an expiry date that is today itself? Or is it destiny that we met? And that this is the match made in heaven. Cant help laughing here. Well. Falling in love is easy. Staying is difficult. So, does love have an expiry date??? And the answer is no. The mere fact that you call it "love" and not infatuation and fixation means that it does not have any expiry date. Had it been infatuation or fixation or crush, then the answer is yes. If this relationship is based on lust, then it has an expiry date for sure. If you ever fell in love with someone, she remains etched in your heart. You may break up with her. Never see her again. Try to forget her. But, sometime when you will sit idle looking at the sunset, you will think about her. Those days. Those moments. That spark. That magic. That conversation. How can it be not love? And how can such a feeling have an expiry date??
Alright. Isnt it about this always?? Finally moving on. There is always some work to do. There is always some friend to talk to. There is always your family to go to. And then there is always that one you love. And when you are with them at that moment, you dont really care about expiry dates. All you do is live in the moment. And thats all that counts anyway...
Sunday, September 13, 2009
A brave new world...
The world is changing. New ideas. New thoughts. Every new generation brings with it a new perspective. A new approach to life. Many problems have been solved. Far greater ones still remain. The challenges that the world faces include poverty, hunger, inadequate health care, lack of education, unemployment, climate change, terrorism and intolerance. We live now in a world defined by boundaries and full of cynicism. Here is the question. Can we sculpt a brave new world? One whose foundation would be harmony and goodwill. One which will be united in its fight against these challenges? A brave new world...
It is certainly possible. Difficult yes. With a fierce determination and an unyielding will, it is possible. First of all, we would need to accept that these problems exist. Denial of the problem is a problem in itself. Second, there has to be a concentrated effort from all nations, industrialized as well as developing, towards mitigating these problems. Research and development of technology would be directed to meet these real challenges. Elimination of poverty would be the main concern. Creating easily accessible primary and secondary education avenues would act as an effective foil to radicalism and intolerance. Affordable healthcare for all irrespective of their economic status must be the goal set so that we can fight disease and sanitation problems. These are only a few things that can be used as a stepping stone towards this new world. Most importantly, the youth of this world need to be the agents of this change. A combination of Western society and the spirituality of the East would be the foundation of the new world order. All it takes is a voice. And people like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa are evidence that the power of example still wields a greater influence than the example of power. A person does not have to hold a position of rank, have wealth and advanced levels of education to be part of this change. Every person irrespective of his gender, race, economic status, creed and caste can be actively involved in this process and reap the benefits of this change. If each can do something to bring about change at the community level, the movement shall grow to include everyone.
A brave new world is not wishful thinking. Nor is it based on false hope. It is possible and for sure. The only thing we need is a change in present mindset and attitude. And the path is clear. And all we need to take is the first step. All we need is a few dedicated and energetic men and women to come forward...
It is certainly possible. Difficult yes. With a fierce determination and an unyielding will, it is possible. First of all, we would need to accept that these problems exist. Denial of the problem is a problem in itself. Second, there has to be a concentrated effort from all nations, industrialized as well as developing, towards mitigating these problems. Research and development of technology would be directed to meet these real challenges. Elimination of poverty would be the main concern. Creating easily accessible primary and secondary education avenues would act as an effective foil to radicalism and intolerance. Affordable healthcare for all irrespective of their economic status must be the goal set so that we can fight disease and sanitation problems. These are only a few things that can be used as a stepping stone towards this new world. Most importantly, the youth of this world need to be the agents of this change. A combination of Western society and the spirituality of the East would be the foundation of the new world order. All it takes is a voice. And people like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa are evidence that the power of example still wields a greater influence than the example of power. A person does not have to hold a position of rank, have wealth and advanced levels of education to be part of this change. Every person irrespective of his gender, race, economic status, creed and caste can be actively involved in this process and reap the benefits of this change. If each can do something to bring about change at the community level, the movement shall grow to include everyone.
A brave new world is not wishful thinking. Nor is it based on false hope. It is possible and for sure. The only thing we need is a change in present mindset and attitude. And the path is clear. And all we need to take is the first step. All we need is a few dedicated and energetic men and women to come forward...
Saturday, September 12, 2009
At the hour of separation...
Kahlil Gibran said, "Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation." Many people come into your life. Many people go out of your life. Many years later, you think of some of them. The jokes. The thrill. The conversations. And you wonder. What impact did these people have on your life? What did you learn from them? How would you define that relationship? Was it good that you never met again? Was it bad that you never said something that you now wish you should have? That hour of separation. So vivid. Yet so unclear. What would you give for that one hour again??
At the hour of separation. Somethings in life always dawn on you only at that point. That what you took for granted suddenly is not so. That what meant very little to you suddenly becomes everything there is. Only at this hour, you see the same things in completely different light. A new perspective. Poignant about the past. And not knowing what the future holds. You just sit there. And thoughts race through your mind. Recollections. Of all that was. Of all that could have been. That very moment presents a conundrum. Do you look back? Or do you ponder ahead? What do you do at that very moment? Think about it. Every relationship whose foundation is love has its finest hour. And it is this. The hour of separation. At that precise moment, words seem so futile. But the one you love understands you perfectly. Both of you think on the same lines. The moments you were together. The moments that you were apart. And the moment in future when you will be together again. Every second is sublime. Every minute is magic. You live a lifetime in that hour. For now, I take solace in Tennyson's thoughts....'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
At the hour of separation. Somethings in life always dawn on you only at that point. That what you took for granted suddenly is not so. That what meant very little to you suddenly becomes everything there is. Only at this hour, you see the same things in completely different light. A new perspective. Poignant about the past. And not knowing what the future holds. You just sit there. And thoughts race through your mind. Recollections. Of all that was. Of all that could have been. That very moment presents a conundrum. Do you look back? Or do you ponder ahead? What do you do at that very moment? Think about it. Every relationship whose foundation is love has its finest hour. And it is this. The hour of separation. At that precise moment, words seem so futile. But the one you love understands you perfectly. Both of you think on the same lines. The moments you were together. The moments that you were apart. And the moment in future when you will be together again. Every second is sublime. Every minute is magic. You live a lifetime in that hour. For now, I take solace in Tennyson's thoughts....'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
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